I’m sorry I am responding so late. I lost sight of what we are discussing here. I’m not sure there’s much that we disagree on really, but mostly I’m just not sure what you’re getting at.

What I’m itching to say in response to your jean example is this:

Critical thinking doesn’t necessarily happen if we as consumers can differentiate Praada jeans from those labeled Jordache. Our opinions could just as easily be provided by subliminal marketing messages or subconscious internalization of our culture’s general opinion of each brand.

And perhaps could it be that Connoisseurism is the thing that attempts to fight this phenomenon?

Again, I apologize because I’m a bit lost. I need a summarization (I doubt that’s a word).

First of all, it is true that both Puccini and Queen are awesome, but comparing La Boheme to Bohemian Rhapsody because they are similar is ridiculous. One is a song and the other is a play told with music. You can listen to Bohemian Rhapsody for full enjoyment, but an opera must be seen and heard. You need to know what is going on. La Boheme was the first opera I went to. Before that I knew nothing of opera and expected the whole show to be a little boring, but I loved every minute of it. So that was my personal experience. I still have little education of opera, but what I’ve seen, I’ve enjoyed on a level deeper than snobbery. When it comes to opera, I’m happy to enjoy if from the sidelines. I don’t need to know all the terms for things and how it was done. I’m not sure if that would make me enjoy it more or not.

If I had seen an opera when I was little, and decided that I too, must create opera, then everything would be different. Then an extensive education would be helpful and critical thinking would become a necessary part. I can already tell what sounds good and what is pleasing, but I’d have to figure out exactly why. Critical thinking is necessary when you want to expand your knowledge on a topic. A language for the medium is needed so you can learn from others and add your thoughts into the mix. It would be uselessly limiting to start from scratch and repeat everything that has been done. Education and critical thinking also people to expand the pool of knowledge and go somewhere exciting and new.

So to answer your questions, I don’t think we learn to discern. I think we discern first and then learn the reasoning behind our discerning tastes. There will always be people who evade critical thinking and discernment. I’ve worked with some of these people, but they are idiots and I’d rather not waste time there. I think critical thinking comes from a natural curiosity about how things work. The enjoyment doesn’t require critical thinking, but a deeper appreciation and understanding of art would.

I don’t know if I understand your thesis…..funny wording? lack of popsicles? I don’t know.